Rare 12-minute footage of historic Shimla Conference gifted to NFAI

PUNE: The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has received rare footage of Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders at the Shimla Conference in 1945.
The 12-minute footage was shot as a home video in 8mm format by Royal India Naval Officer William Gledhill Taylor. It was sent by UKbased Margaret South, Taylor’s daughter, to NFAI for preservation. The footage also shows Maulana Azad, C Rajagopalachari, MA Jinnah, Rajendra Prasad, Bhulabhai Desai, Master Tara Singh, GB Pant and others.
“It is an amazing collection of shots taken during a crucial period prior to independence.Many important political personalities of the time are seen on the camera, some in close-ups,” NFAI director Prakash Magdum said.
Taylor, who was with the British India Steam Navigation Company from the age of 17 in 1939, joined Royal Indian Navy later in the war. He rose to the rank of a lieutenant and was sent on leave to Shimla prior to his demobilisation. His aughter said Taylor was a een photographer, and had an mm cine camera. Her letter to e NFAI said the footage, ough not of high quality, ptured important players on e historic occasion.
Taylor died in 2010. “He ould be very proud that the otage is being preserved in dia,” Margaret South said.